1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a fine-grain silver halide emulsion, which has the property of extremely high graininess and sharpness, yet which is at the same time very stable in the whole process of manufacturing of a silver halide light-sensitive material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, photographic light-sensitive materials have been required to meet more diversified, higher-level demands.
Especially in color intermediate films for movies and the like, it is necessary to improve the graininess and the sharpness significantly.
To improve the graininess and the sharpness, it is known that a grain size need only be decreased although there is a certain limit. According to the studies made by the present inventor, however, decreasing an average grain size to 0.2 .mu.m or less leads to a serious problem; i.e., the stability of emulsion is degraded with time if it is aged in the form of a solution.
Performing chemical sensitization in the presence of sensitizing dyes is disclosed in, e.g., JP-A-55-26589 ("JP-A" means Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application), JP-A-61-103149, and JP-A-61-133941), and it is known that emulsions with a high sensitivity and a high storage stability can be obtained by this method. In JP-A-63-41849, it is attempted to, e.g., reduce a storage fog or prevent decreasing the contrast by adding sensitizing dyes during formation of silver halide grains. Also, in JP-A-5-80445, it is attempted to improve the stability in manufacturing process and increase the contrast by adding sensitizing dyes at relatively low temperatures and then performing chemical sensitization at high temperatures.
None of these patents, however, mentions the stability with time upon solution aging of grains with an average grain size of 0.2 .mu.m or less.